John Coltrane left behind some cryptic, handwritten study notes entitled ‘Scales of India’. Here, I explore which ragas they are, where he got them from, and what he was doing with them…
[under construction: out 2022]
• Solving the mystery of John Coltrane’s handwritten raga notes •
Features fresh archival sources, new input from his collaborators, and insights from master musicians of the East and West – as well as a walk through some of the Indian ideas that fascinated Coltrane so much in the first place…
—Pt. 1: The ‘Scales of India’ puzzle—
—Pt. 2: Reverend Herbert A. Popley—
—Pt. 3: Trane’s Indo-jazz context—
—Pt. 4: What do the scales reveal?—
—Bonus: Simpkins’ global modes—
—Trane’s chosen ragas demystified—
—Summary: all 24 global scales—
—Side quest: the massive sarangi—
—Carl Grubbs: Trane’s music room—
“If I make money, fine. But I’d rather be striving. It’s the striving, man – it’s that I want.” (John Coltrane, 1926-1967)